A spatial light modulator includes a prism group and satisfies either of the following conditionsd<0.95×λ/(2×(n−1)),d>1.05×λ/(2×(n−1))where d is a distance between a reference surface and a flat surface, λ is a wavelength of an incident light, and n is a refractive index of the prism group.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A spatial light modulator comprising: a modulating unit that modulates a light based on an image signal and outputs a modulated light; a refracting part that refracts the modulated light; and a flat part that transmits the modulated light, wherein the modulating unit includes a plurality of pixels that are arranged in a matrix; and a light-shielding portion between each of the pixels, the refracting part is a prism group that is composed of a plurality of prism elements, each of the prism elements having at least a refracting surface, the modulated light from one of the pixels is incident on at least a portion of the prism group, the refracting surface is oriented to project an image of the pixel over an image of the light-shielding portion on a screen at a predetermined distance, making an apex with an angle with respect to a reference surface that is orthogonal to an optical axis at the apex, and a distance between the reference surface and the flat part and a distance between the reference surface and a predetermined point on the refracting surface are arranged in aperiodic.
3. The spatial light modulator according to claim 1 , the prism group being arranged in a substantially periodic manner, with number of the periods per a unit area of 15 or less.
4. The spatial light modulator according to claim 3 , wherein the unit area is determined based on numerical apertures of an illumination optical system that supplies the light to the modulating unit and a projection optical system on which the modulated light is incident.
5. A projector comprising: a light source that supplies a light; a spatial light modulator that includes a modulating unit that modulates the light based on an image signal and outputs a modulated light; a refracting part that refracts the modulated light; and a flat part that transmits the modulated light, wherein the modulating unit includes a plurality of pixels that are arranged in a matrix; and a light-shielding portion between each of the pixels, the refracting part is a prism group that is composed of a plurality of prism elements, each of the prism elements having at least a refracting surface, the modulated light from one of the pixels is incident on at least a portion of the prism group, the refracting surface is oriented to project an image of the pixel over an image of the light-shielding portion on a screen at a predetermined distance, making an apex with an angle with respect to a reference surface that is orthogonal to an optical axis at the apex, and a distance between the reference surface and the flat part and a distance between the reference surface and a predetermined point on the refracting surface are arranged in aperiodic; and a projection lens that projects the light from the spatial light modulator to display an image on a screen.
7. The projector according to claim 5 , the prism group being arranged in a substantially periodic manner, with number of the periods per a unit area of 15 or less.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 21, 2004
September 26, 2006
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